About Me

Thanks for checking in. We all know life can be EXTREMELY complicated. I blog about recognizing and removing the barriers that sabotage our living well.

- Nobody had perfect parents, so we all have issues.

- We struggle to keep up with work, personal goals, staying healthy, and all kinds of relationships.

- Our minds are busy, and they seem to often work against us.

- At the end of many days, we're disappointed about what didn't get done, how we failed, what we should have done.

So I blog about increasing personal awareness and finding balance so we can cut ourselves some slack. Let's stay grounded as we move forward in manageable steps. Perspective is everything, and I try to see around the corners so we can leverage what we've already got into more of what we want.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

I went to a funeral yesterday, and I was inspired! The seventy-two-year-old wife, mother and grandmother was eulogized as a stilleto-wearing, convertible Mercedes driving, Saks Fifth Avenue shopping, world traveler who didn't care what people thought about her. She had many friends, and I expect just as many who wondered about her choices, her priorities. Probably because she broke from the mold to which they had relegated her. She was from a small town, moved to the north. I learned she worked in a care-giving related field, but had the kind of sense that allowed her to make much from little. She had the know-how to stretch her income (which was not large) to accommodate trips to Paris, Greece, Africa, England, India, and Caribbean Islands. She had the confidence to do all this traveling while her land-bound husband bowed out of these excursions. She followed her dream to see the world.

Of course her sons and grandchildren shed plenty of tears, but the funeral was so generally upbeat that it didn't elicit very many tears. Probably because it was so clear that she'd thoroughly enjoyed her journey. I was THRILLED! I don't want the life she had because if I never fly again, or never own a mink, I'll still die happy. But I want her courage to know who the hell I am, and live the way I want to live, and not give much of a damn about who wonders why I do the things I do. Hats off to you Bessie Williams-- a courageous woman who knew how to live her own life... in spite of.....

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Now and then I feel out of sorts-- like this week. So I went to see my herbalist, Margie Mulholland (http://timberlakeherbstore.com/). Finding Margie was one of the most serendipitous events of my life because I feel like she's kept me alive. (If not alive, at least fully functioning.) What Margie teaches is that we are natural beings whose physical and emotional well-being is intimately tied to our natural environment.

So lately I'd been eating lots of fruit and salads and feeling just awful. Margie reminded me that if I go to the farmers' market, I won't find such things there. So that's not what my body needs right now. It's winter, and it's kidney season (Yes, our bodies have seasons. Liver season is next.) I need warm things-- greens, squash, chard, beans, and soups, etc. I made the changes and started to feel better. (I'm at an artists' conference as I write.)

My point is that we have so many options in this age of instant everything. We have access to whatever we can afford-- from practically anywhere around the world. But just because we can have it doesn't mean we should have it. If we want good health, we have to learn as much about our bodies as we do about our all the other things we love. When we do, we can often generate our own healing.

Margie told me about the daikon radish. Now doesn't that look delicious?

" It is also rich in enzymes that help in digesting fats and starchy foods. There have been a few studies which indicate that Daikon may have some benefit in fighting or preventing cancer. Daikon is a good source of many of the same compounds that give broccoli its anti-cancer reputation. And finally, it’s an excellent source of phosphorus, potassium and vitamin C – a great immune booster this time of year" (http://www.cook4seasons.com/archives/daikon-radish-confetti-salad/#more-2545).